Hsing Yi drills.

[Apostol]

I learned this cool drill today. One person gets in San Ti, and another person pushes that person slightly. The person in San Ti does stepping in order to move the opponent, while the opponent is slightly resisting.

Anyone know any more useful and interesting drills?

[Ray Pina]

Yea, but you have to join my teacher's school;)

Honestly though. We are open about strategy, the form or shape and even the formula to an extent, but the training methods, the developing of power are considered the key .... but I'm sure every Hsing-I school has plenty of their own methods.

....

Here's one though: Hold the invicible ball in front of you and have the other guy place his San Ti posture on it. Can you hold him up?
Good. Now take a step back.... can you still hold him up? Can he hold the same posture being that extended? Keep going till someone collapses.... repeat. repeat. repeat. repeat .... but don't muscle fatigue.

[Tak]

One guy bengs, the other guy blocks with pi variation. Then vice versa. Then repeat. This should include stepping. And varied timing so you're not playing pattycake.
Unless you want to play pattycake. In which case both guys should be doing pi.

[CD Lee]

Ok Ap - I have one here you should try and like a lot. It is boring, but it will teach you a lot about alignment and power. I don't think it is boring btw, it is just not a lot of moving.

The thing you have to develop in any internal art, is the proper alignments, for use as your base of power. That is the first step, so it is very important. Ok, onto the drill...

Stand in San Ti, as close to perfect as you realistically can at this point. Hopefully your legs have developed some strength here, and you have learned to relax your body some.

Have your partner gently push on you until you are close to your limit. You can still resist, but if he pushes much more, you would be forced off your base ok? From that position, tighten up your muscles in your arms and body, and see what happens. You should instantly be pushed backwards. Start tight again, and as he pushes you to the limit, relax and feel what happens.

Reset each time and do the basics.

1. Lift your shoulder off the scapula
2. Stick your butt out a little further than normal.
3. Take your elbow out to the side
4. Dip your head forward

Just some examples.

Learn the feeling of all of these alignments and these things will slowly start to impress into your mind the importance and the feeling of energy. Over time, you don't want to have to think about these basics, but you definately have to have them to be effective.

If you don't have a partner, get up against a small tree that has some give, or worst case, get up against a wall and do this. [b] You just have to make sure you don't LEAN forward to get pressure! [b/]

Check it out.

[CD Lee]

Hey Ap - similar to yours, another good one, one of my favorites for new guys, and always a good simple one.

Instead of San Ti, stand like San Ti, without the hands up. Partner places his palm against your chest nice and solid. You have to step him away with a bamboo step. Notice all the things that can happen when you lag or lean. I can assure you, when you are the partner, you can feel everything inside the person stepping. Your goal is a very tight transmission of energy, no lag.

[BAI HE]

An Shen Po is a good start.

Also think about ways to "push hands" with the five element fists and what the directions and implications they have.

What is being accomplished and what is being trained in terms of the power or force vector being focused on. How can you set it up so that you are training what is to be trained (body wise).

Sorry to seem cryptic here, I just can't give away that which is not mine to give.